Wickman Machine Tools

Hi, Yes he did, he passed away some years ago.

Hi Mike, Thanks, he left to run a B&B, I think down Bournemouth way. Do you know if he stayed down there or came back?

Hi, He came back to Coventry, to the Finham area.

Taylor and Challen rings a bell. What did they make?

How diverse is that, beam engines and gun powder! It says Wickman bought the business in 65, but there is no mention of them selling it? I can never remember any plant arriving at Banner Lane, so I assume it all stayed at Constitution Hill? Also, don't remember any T&C apprentices in the training school of 66. I must go through my Wickman book to see if I can find any reference.

Former Taylor & Challen Works, Water Street, Birmingham - 11 Apr 2019

Hi Mike There was also a chap called Derick who worked for your dad, he drew a lot of cartoon caricatures of the people who worked there. I remember them being pinned up.

Hi, I don't remember dad mentioning him, but he did see a few ex-Wickman around supermarkets after he retired.

The last 9 months of my apprenticeship was spent in the "Heavy Machine Shop" and on completion Jack Sykes the foreman offered me a full time job on the large horizontal boring section, straight onto individual piecework. I stayed in the HMS for 12 years or so, working on expensive cast iron castings. During that 12 years, my machine needed re-conditioning, so I was asked to double up and go on nights. With the incentive offered, I agreed. We were all paid in cash in those days, from a trolley that was pushed around by 2 of the wages department. So Thursday night was pay night. Thursday night was also "what do you want from the chip shop night" with someone taking your order and going to get them. Anyway, once the pay trolley had been around, there appeared to be a mass shop floor exodus. On investigation, there turned out to be a big card school on the top floor of the stores, with lots of money being won and lost.

Hi, Jack Sykes moved to Canada and passed away some years ago.

How old was he when he went to Canada?

Hi, May have got the surname wrong could have been Taylor.

Thought so. No probs.

Spending 14 years in the Heavy Machine Shop, I saw many good and bad times. One of the best things was the HMS Christmas dinner and dance. This was ran by a guy called Stan Sharpe who worked on a plano milling machine. Stan would start collecting in January and by the time came for the dinner in late November or early December, everything was paid for and a envelope with the difference given out on the night for the beer. A coach was arranged to pick us up and take us to the Manor in Meriden. There was always a decorated Christmas tree in the foyer, and by the time we had all left to board the bus home, there were very few glass baubles left on the tree. A tradition, I guess?